Tape feeding apparatus

ABSTRACT

Disclosed is a tape feeding apparatus in which a constantly running electric motor rotates a drive roller having replaceable elastomeric o-rings encircling the roller and which cooperates with two idler rollers, all three rollers being relatively positioned so that the drive roller strips tape from a tape roll as long as tape leaving the final idler roller is under tension, but releases the tape as soon as tension on the tape leaving the final roller is relieved.

United States Patent 91 Shatfstall [111 3,853,256 [451 Dec. 10,; 1974 [5 TAPE FEEDING APPARATUS [75] Inventor: Everett G. Shafistall, Indianapolis,

Ind.

[73] Assignee: Shatfstall Equipment Inc. Indianapolis, Ind.

[22] Filed: Aug. 13, 1973 211 Appl. No.: 388,113

[52] U.S. Cl 226/34, 226/44, 226/191 [51] Int. Cl B65h 23/04 [58] Field of Search 226/34, 35, 24, 44, 190,

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 5/1964 Kunz ..226/186X 8/1967 Walus 3,561,655 2/1971 Yasukawa 12/1972 Frederick Primary ExaminerRichard A. Schacher Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Woodard, Weikart, Emhardt & Naughton [57] ABSTRACT Disclosed is a tape feeding apparatus in which a constantly running electric motor rotates a drive roller having replaceable elastomeric o-rin'gs encircling the roller and which cooperates with two idler rollers, all three rollers being relatively positioned so that the drive roller strips tape from a tape roll as long as tape leaving the final idler roller is under tension, but releases the tape as soon as tension on the tapeleaving the final roller is relieved.

2 Claims, 4 Drawing Figures TAPE FEEDING APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Relatively large rolls of information coded (by perforation or the like) tape, as large as six inches in diameter, must be fed into the reader component of a conventional photo-composing machine used in the printing art. Difficulty has been encountered in that the reading component of existing composing machines cannot physically move tape from the relatively large heavy tape rolls. The apparatus of the present invention provides a pouch or receptacle for a large tape roll and a tension activated, powered booster for feeding tape from the pouchedroll to a photo-composing machine.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT Referring initially to FIGS. 1 and 2, the tape feeding apparatus includes a vertical plate having an integral, sidewardly extending portion 11 and an upper portion 12. The plate may be mounted, by any suitable means, either on or adjacent to a tape receiving apparatus (not shown) which may take the form of a photocomposing machine, these conventionally being adapted to read information off perforated tape.

Means for supporting a tape roll for free rotation takes the form of a series of idler rollers 13 (FIGS. 2 and 3) which are freely rotatable on stub shafts extending from the plate I0, the outer ends of the idler roller shaft 13a extending through a front face plate 14. As will be evident from FIG. 3, the idler rollers 13, the front plate 14 and the vertical plate 10 form a pouch or container for the roll 16 of perforated tape. The upper left hand one of the idler rollers, identified at 17 in FIG. 3, has the tape 16a threaded over it, the tape then being threaded under the drive roller 18. The drive roller 18 is rigidly attached to and rotates with the drive shaft 19 which is rotated by the electrical motor 21 mounted on the rear face of the plate 10, the motor being shown in broken lines in FIG. 3.

The drive roller is shown in detail in FIG. 4 and its drum-like body is counterbored, as indicated at 18a, to receive the motor driven shaft 19, the rigid attachment between the two being made by a set screw or other suitable means. The cylindrical outer surface of the roller 18 is provided with a plurality of circumferential grooves 21 which accommodate torroidal o-rings 22 which may be formed of rubber or other suitable elas-.

the tape is tightened about the roller 18, positive drive of the tape occurs. Any wear or deterioration of the rings ZZ can be remedied merely by replacing them on Llt 2 the roller. Spaced above and slightly leftwardly (as viewed in FIG. 3) of the rotational axis of the roller 18 is a stub shaft 31 which supports for free rotation a final idler roller 32. The sideward displacement of the axis of shaft 31 from the axis of shaft 19 is such that an imaginary line connecting the axis of shaft 19 and the axis of shaft 31 would be approximately 7 degrees off the vertical as indicated by the letter A in FIG. 3.

As will be evident from FIG. 3, the tape 16a is threaded generally over the final roller 32 and then extends to the intake of the reader element of the photocomposer (not shown). The idler rollers 13, 17 and 32 are formed of laminated phenolic rod stock and the curved surface of these idler rollers contacts the tape. In the case of the drive roller 18, as previously mentioned, the outer surface of the rubber rings 22, contacts the tape surface.

In operation, with the roller tape 16 in place and the tape threaded as indicated at 16a in FIG. 3, whenever tension is applied to the tape 16a as it leaves the final roller 32, the loop of tape enclosing the roller portion of the drive roller 18 will be tightened against the drive roller and tape will be stripped from the roller 16 and delivered from the final roller 32. If tension on the tape 16a leaving the final roller 32 is released or removed, the tape will fall into a position indicated by broken lines in FIG. 3, as it circles the drive roller 18, that is, it will fall substantially out of contact with the drive roller and stripping of the tape from the roll 16 will cease. The apparatus thus forms a means for holding the relatively large tape roll 16 accessible for feeding to the photo-composing machine on demand, thus making it unnecessary that the feed apparatus incorporated in the photo-composing machine be sufficiently strong by itself to strip tape from the relatively heavy tape roll.

I claim:

1. A tape feeding apparatus for holding a roll of information'storing tape and supplying tape from the roll upon demand to a photo composing machine or the like, said tape feeding apparatus including a vertical plate, means extending from the front face of said plate for supporting a tape roll for free rotation on a horizontal axis, a first idler roller mounted on said vertical plate for rotation about a horizontal axis displaced upwardly and laterally of said tape roll, a drive roller supported for rotation on an axis adjacent to and horizontally aligned with said first idler roller axis, an electric motor for driving said drive roller mounted on the rear face of saidvertical plate, said drive roller carrying a plurality torroidal elastomeric rings encircling its curved outer surface, a final idler roller mounted on said plate for rotation on a horizontal axis parallel to and spaced above said drive roller axis, a line joining the axes of rotation of said final idler roller and said drive roller being inclined a small angle off the vertical in a direction away from said first idler roller, tape from a tape roll supported on said plate being threaded over said first idler roller, under said drive roller and over said final idler roller, whereby aslong as tape leaving said final idler roller is under tension said drive roller strips tape from the tape roll and delivers it to said final idler roller, said drive roller releasing said tape to halt the tape movement when the tape is not tensioned as it leaves said final idler roller.

2. A tape feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said small angle off the vertical is substantially 7 degrees. 

1. A tape feeding apparatus for holding a roll of informationstoring tape and supplying tape from the roll upon demand to a photo composing machine or the like, said tape feeding apparatus including a vertical plate, means extending from the front face of said plate for supporting a tape roll for free rotation on a horizontal axis, a first idler roller mounted on said vertical plate for rotation about a horizontal axis displaced upwardly and laterally of said tape roll, a drive roller supported for rotation on an axis adjacent to and horizontally aligned with said first idler roller axis, an electric motor for driving said drive roller mounted on the rear face of said vertical plate, said drive roller carrying a plurality torroidal elastomeric rings encircling its curved outer surface, a final idler roller mounted on said plate for rotation on a horizontal axis parallel to and spaced above said drive roller axis, a line joining the axes of rotation of said final idler roller and said drive roller being inclined a small angle off the vertical in a direction away from said first idler roller, tape from a tape roll supported on said plate being threaded over said first idler roller, under said drive roller and over said final idler roller, whereby as long as tape leaving said final idler roller is under tension said drive roller strips tape from the tape roll and delivers it to said final idler roller, said drive roller releasing said tape to halt the tape movement when the tape is not tensioned as it leaves said final idler roller.
 2. A tape feeding apparatus as claimed in claim 1 in which said small angle off the vertical is substantially 7 degrees. 